Combined flash light and writing pad



Aug. 11, 1931. I KROLDRUP 1,818,855

COMBINED FLASH LIGHT AND WRITING PAD Filed Sept. 20, 1929 s a 4% a,

3325 13 I /a lo l I 1 a6 *3 /0 0/10 Kro/dn z v ATTORNIY Patented Aug.11,1931

or'ro KROYLDRUP, or COLON, 063A COMBINED FLASH LIGHT ANDWRITING PADApplication filed September 20, 1929 Serial No. 393,996.

i The invention relates to general utility devices and has for itsgeneral object the provision of; a combined writing pad and flashlight,the. device being capable of use either as a flashlight alone or forilluminatdoctors, newspaper reporters and others who are frequentlycompelled to write under conditions where there'is no adequate light. 8An important object oftheinventionis ,to provide a device of thischaracter in which a portion of the light of the flashlight iscaused,under certainconditions and when so desired, to be reflected-ontothe writing surface, itbeingalso conceivable. that the v v or sockets 13wlthin whlch are removably 'mounted dry cells 14 of a type used incondevice ,may ,be'constructed' in such manner that it willilluminateon-ly the'writing surface, the rays of light being preventedfrom issuing from the device in the nature of -a flashlight. 8 p I IAnother object of the invention is to provide adevice of this characterand for this purpose so constructed as to contain a desired number ofdry cells-which will furnlsh the currentvnecessary. for the energizationof an incandescent lamp which constitutes the illuminating means,- thearrangement being such that these cells may be quickly and easilyremoved and replaced with newones when exhausted.

Another object isv this character which will be simple and inexpensivetomake, easy -to use, positive in :action," efiicie'nt'andidurable inservice, and a general improvement inthe art.

,Withthe above and other objects and advantages in view, the inventionpreferably consists in the details of construction and the arrangementand combination-of parts to be hereinafter more fully described andcclaimed, and illustratedin the a'ccompanying drawings, in which -v 8Figure '1 is a perspective View of the complete device= -i showing thecover thereof opened for effecting illumination of a writing surface 7Figure 2is aside elevation with the cover closed.v 8 j v to providea'device of -Figure 3 is a front end view with the cover closed. 8 I

Figure 4 is an elevation ofithe side opposite that; shown in Figure 2.

Figure 5 is anelevation of the rear end or ing a writing pad atv nightand being p ar- :end. opposite that shown in Figure 3. :ticularlyconvenient for use bythe police,

.v the line 6-6 of Figure 3. V

Figure 6 is a detail sectional View taken on I F'gure 7 is a detailsectional View taken on theline 7-7 of Figure 2.

Referring more particularly to the drawin s I have shown the device ascom risin 3 a body portion 10 and a cover 11 hinge thereto as shown at12. This body portion 10 is represented as of more or less hollowformation or formed with a plurality of pockets 'nection withflashlights of various kinds. These pocketsor sockets 13 open out to one1 side edge. of the body 10, these open ends being'normally closed by aslide 15 having a dove-tailed mounting in the casing .and preferablyprovided with a thumbnail grip 16so that it may be grasped and pulledout when necessary. The cover 11 is coextensive inlen th with the body10 and its free end is pre erably provided with a spring or other catch17 cooperating with akeeper 18 on (the end of the body. By thisarrangement it will be seen that the device may be folded up and carriedin a manner similar to a smallkodak. To limit the opening move- 'ment ofthe cover it is preferable to equip y it with a curved arm 19 having anarcuate slot 20Vtherein slidably engaging a pin 21 .on one side of thebody, it being preferable that the'engagement berather close so thatwhen the cover i'svopened into the position: shown in Figure 1 it willremain open without being held by the operator or user.

That end ofthe body at which the cover 11 is hinged, is here shown asformed with a recess 22 within which is mounted a re' flector 23 at thecenter of which is located a socket 24 receiving the base 25 of anincandescent lamp 26. This socket 24 is of metal'and the lamp is of thesingle contact type, its base 25 constituting one terminal .which is, ofcourse, in electrical connection l in series.

with the socket 24. The reflector is further represented as having anextension or tongue 27 thereon adapted to be engaged by a metal slide 28which constitutes a switch and which carries a stem 29 slidable along aslot 30 and equipped with a button or head 31. Within the sliding cover15 is a metallic strip 32 which overlies and which constitutes retainingmeans for the metal slide 28 and which is in electrical contacttherewith.

One endmost battery cell 14 has its outside terminal 33 extendedlaterally and engaging a projection 34 on the metal strip 32. Theoutside terminal 35 of the other cell 14 is extended at an angle tooverlie the partition 36 between the pockets 13 and en ages against theoutside of the first mentioned cell 14 so that the two cells will beconnected The other terminal 37 of thesec- 0nd mentioned cell 14 engagesagainst a metallic contact element 38 which in turn engages against thecentral electrode of the electric lamp or incandescent bulb 26.

The top surface of the body 10 is recessed as shown at 39 and withinthis recess is located a removable writing pad 40 which may be held inplace in any desired manner whatsoever.

An important feature of the invention is the provision of a mirror 41mounted on the under side of the cover,-and an opening 42 in the body 10registering with a corresponding opening 43 in the reflector 23. Whenthe incandescent lamp is energized and the cover 11 is open as indicatedin Figure 1 a portion of the light from the lamp will pass through theregistering openings 43 and 42 and will fall onto the mirror 41 fromwhich it will be that the user may make notes, memoranda or the likeeven in the dark. If desired, a cover might be provided to cover thereflector 23 so that no light can issue therefrom.

Attention is directed to the fact that the mirror 41 is hinged,preferably by means of a spring hinge 41a on the underside of the cover11 so that when the cover is swung open the mirror will swing downwardlyso as to reflect the'light from the lamp onto the writing surface 40.This is necessary to obtain the proper angle of reflection as otherwisethe light might be caused to shine into the eyes offthe operator. Itwill be observed that when the cover is closed the mirror 41 occupies aposition within a recess 41b in the underside of the cover so as not toadd undue bulk which would interfere with the compactness when thedevice is in closed position.

Assuming that the device has been constructed as above described, theoperation is as follows: When the cover 11 is closed down upon the body10 with the catch 17 engaged with the keeper 18 it is apparent that thedevice is readily capable of use simply as a flashlight. When it isdesired to use the device as a flashlight, the operator grasps thebutton 31 and moves it toward the lamp end of the device so that themetal slide 28 will engage against the extension or tongue 27 When thisis done it is apparent that the circuit is completed through the twocells 14 in series and the filament of the incandescent lamp 26 so thatlightwill be produced which will be thrown out by the reflector 23to'the place desired exactly in the same manner as in connection withany other type of'fiashlight. However, when the device is to be used forassisting in the making of notes or the like at night, it is merelynecessary to disengage the catch 17 from the keeper 18 and move thecover 11 intoits open position as shown in Figure 1, the arm 19'cooperating with'the pin 21 acting to maintain the cover at the properposition with .respect to the writing surface. When the operator thenpresses the button 31 toward the lamp end of the device to close thecircuit through the cells and filament of the lamp 26, it is apparentthat a certain amount of light from the lamp will pass through theregistering openings 43 and 42 in the reflector and body respectivelyand will be thrown onto the mirror 41 from which it will be reflectedonto the writing surface 40. Ordinarily the mirror 41 is containedwithin the recess 41b but it willnaturally be understood that when thecover 11 is opened the spring hinge 41a, will operate to swing themirror 41 downwardly into the inclined position shown in Figure 1 so asto insure the light being thrown onto the writing surface. reflecteddown onto the writing pad 40 so The switch device comprising the parts27to 31 is shown as of the sliding type in View of the fact that it ishighly desirable that the current be left turned on while the notes orother writing may be made. If a cover be provided for the reflector 23it is clear that the device will not operate at all as a flashlight,when such is desired, but will neverthe-less act to throw light upon thewriting surface 40. The member or'ele'ment 40 may 'be simply a pad ofsuperposed sheets such as are'very well known or may be of somespecialconstruction ifsuch is desired for any reason, Whenever it is necessaryto "replace'worn out cells 14 with new ones it is a simple mattertoengage the thumb nail within the notch 16 and pull the slide 15sufficiently to expose the cells 14 which may then be removed andreplaced with new ones without in any way interfering with any otherpart of theapparatus. c

From the foregoing description and a study of the drawings it will beapparent that I have thus provided a very simply constructed andinexpensive device for the purpose specified and onewhich will be highlyefiicient and a great convenience to the police, physicians, ambulanceattendants, newspaper reporters and in fact many other persons havingoccasion to make notes or other writings at night without properfacilities. It is believed that the construction, operation andadvantages will be readily apparent without further explanation.

While I have shown and described the preferred embodiment of theinvention, it should be understood that I reserve the right to make allsuch changes in the details of construction and the arrangement andcombination of parts as will not depart from the spirit of the inventionor the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus described the invention, I claim 1. In a device of thecharacter described, a body member formed to support a writing surface,a cover hinged upon said body member and carrying an independently saidlight and reflect the same onto the writin surface, said second namedreflector being hingedly attached to said cover to be removable withrespect thereto.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

OTTO KROLDRUP.

movable mirror, a plurality of batter cells 7 within the body member, anincan escent lamp mounted within the body member and adapted to beenergized by said cells, the body member having an opening through whichlight from said incandescent lamp may fall upon said mirror and bereflected onto the writing surface.

' 2. In a device of the character described, 7

a body member formed to support a writing surface, a cover for theentire body hinged thereto and carrying a swingably mounted mirror, aplurallty of battery cells within the body member, an incandescent lampmounted within the body member and adapted to be energized by saidcells, the body member having an opening through which light from saidincandescent lamp may fall upon said mirror and be reflected onto thewriting surface, and a manually operable switch mounted on the body forcontrolling energization of the incandescent lamp.

3. In a device of the character described a body member formed tosupport a writing surface and provided with a hinged cover, means forholding the cover closed, other means for limiting the opening movementof the cover, a mirror swingably mounted within a recess in the underside of the cover and movable out of said recess when the cover isopened, a plurality of cells mounted within the body, a reflectormounted within one end of the body, an incandescent lamp located withinthe reflector and electrically connected with one terminal of the cells,a switch device mounted on the body and interposed in circuit betweenthe cells and the incandescent lamp, the body and the reflector beingformed with registering openings adapted to permit light to pass ontosaid mirror and be reflected thereby onto the writing surface.

4. A device of the character described

